By Eric Thomas: WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez wants to fight Manny Pacquiao after Marquez gets through with his fight against faded star Erik Morales on April 16th. If Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum still don’t want to face Marquez, then Marquez will settle for World Boxing Association (WBA) light welterweight champion Amir Khan, according to the latest news.

Marquez had the opportunity to fight Khan in 2010, but passed on the opportunity, instead facing WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis. Marquez easily won that fight by a 9th round TKO, but had to get up off the deck in the 3rd round to get the win. Marquez couldn’t help noticing Khan’s fight with Marcos Maidana recently, and likely noticed how Khan was on the verge of being knocked out in the 10th.

Khan won the fight and is quickly becoming a star in the United States, and other than Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao, and Shane Mosley, Khan is an excellent option for Marquez to get a good payday.

The fight that Marquez really wants is his third bout against Pacquiao. Marquez mostly had his way with Pacquiao in their two previous fights with 2004 and 2008, but had to settle for a 12 round draw and a 12 round split decision in those fights. It’s not easy for fighters like Marquez to unseat more popular fighters like Pacquiao, Marquez has learned. Marquez wants to prove that he’s the better fighter than Pacquiao, but he’s got to hope that Manny’s promoter Arum is willing to risk his fighter against someone that handled Pacquiao so well in the past.